This series opens with a historical analysis of Sandro Botticelli's La Primavera, one of the most perplexing and enigmatic of all great paintings. The three paintings that comprise Paolo Uccello's The Battle of San Romano are more than a celebrated portrayal of war; they are also among the first to apply linear perspective to an outdoor scene. Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper, the most lionized, analyzed, and parodied of all Christ-centric artworks, has generated as much controversy over its restoration as its creation. The last program explains how Piero della Francesca's The Resurrection saved a town from Allied shelling during World War II.

This award-winning series reveals the full and fascinating stories behind famous works of art. It describes not just how they came to be created, but also how they influenced others and came to have a life of their own in the modern world.